


Aaron and the Long Recovery

by Hamino (frechi123)



Series: Hamilsquad in the Rough: Up Close and Personal [1]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: (she said sarcastically), Aaron's aunt and uncle are downright despicable, Alcohol, Drug Use, Gen, I don't know how to write stuff like this, Lazy to tag everyone, The squad are all in 6th grade, Timothy Edwards' A+ Fostering, bear with me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-08-28 20:59:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16730526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frechi123/pseuds/Hamino
Summary: Aaron Edwards Burr hated his life.His loving parents were gone, his sister was exiled away from him, his aunt whipped him all the time, and his uncle seemed to be getting too friendly with him.He forced himself to smile through it all, so no one would see his pain.That was until he met so many people, who had their own demons following them. And then he realized that he was not so lonely after all.





	1. The Voices

**Author's Note:**

> If you asked me what possessed me to make another reincarnation series with a story for all the Revelationaries living horrible private lives, then I can't tell you.
> 
> But I hope you will enjoy what I'm attempting to write anyway.
> 
> (Note: the first chapter of their lives, meaning when they all meet, starts in middle school! And I always use the ships that I established in "Wake Us Up to the Next Life" notes.)
> 
> Also, I'm not very good with writing rape like elements, so I won't be explicit about it, but apparently my cousin tried that kind of thing on me when I was 8 (I went to therapy and they told me that).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's funny though. They died when I was 3 and Sally was 8. You would think she remebered them better, but it's as if she pushed them away from her mind forever. She didn't want to be reminded of the pain of losing a parent...
> 
> But I did. It was so much better than seeing what our aunt and uncle were doing to us..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In these stories, the titular character is in the first person, the people that they are best friends with or that they love are referred to in the second, and everyone else in the third.

Sometimes, I hear their voices.

Everyone says that when people you love die, you eventually forget what they sound like. But I haven't forgotten my parents'. Not yet.

It's funny though. They died when I was 3 and Sally was 8. You would think she remebered them better, but it's as if she pushed them away from her mind forever. She didn't want to be reminded of the pain of losing a parent. 

But I did. It was so much better than seeing what our aunt and uncle were doing to us.

I turned 6 when my world fell apart.

The letter was written days ago when I questioned why Sally never came to me to say "Happy Birthday" like she did every year.

 _Exile._ They sent her away. No wonder...

I didn't leave my room for a fortnight.

Lot of big words for a 12-year-old. But books were my only friends, it was my only choice.

So maybe that's why I knew what they were doing to me was wrong. Beatin' me, cheatin' me, straight-up mistreatin' me. That it was never my fault, and they were just horrible to me for no god forsaken reason.

My aunt never touched me at all, her shoes did. I didn't know whether or not to be grateful, since she used those wretched hands of hers on Sally once, and I didn't want to be next.

My uncle's belongings never touched me either, unless you count a very specific one, and I don't. Sally never had to deal with this, and to this day I still don't know who fared worse.

School started. I'm surprised they made me go. My lips were stuck in a smile that held no happiness, only the mask that I wanted to stay behind. 

And I would have too, if  _you_ and your friends never came along to try and fix me.

 


	2. The Angels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Uncle says I get no saving graces. And I'm not crazy religious like him and Auntie. But if that's the case then how come I got you and your saviors so early on in my life?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went on a "House on Mango Street" tangent again, so there are no quotes around what people are saying, but it shouldn't be too hard to infer.

Knox is throwing those papers at me again. All of his failed tests. He always throws the ones that actually say the letter F, because he  _enjoys_ seeing me cry at that letter, the first letter of exactly what my uncle is doing to me. 

He's as bad as Jefferson, and he  _stalks_ people for a living. Everyone knows what my uncle is doing but  _he's_ one to take it a step further and finding out more of my home life, with my aunt and Sally -

She hasn't written. Did they kill her, whoever they are?

Anyway, he's one of those slimeballs who knows. You're one of the few good ones left that has an idea, and it's probably because you and your friends _know, you get it_ , you have woes like mine...

Uncle says I get no saving graces. And I'm not crazy religious like him and Auntie. But if that's the case then how come I got you and your saviors so early on in my life?

It was mid school year, when Greene, Knox's little gremlin (seriously, he's like a 3 foot 6th grader), started talking dirty right by my ear and getting louder about it; under anyone else's circumstances (except yours and Sam's, of course) I would have ignored it, but this sort of talk is the kind of thing Uncle says all the time when he's doing me, and so it makes me insecure and uncomfortable and  _everyone_ knows that.

But then all of a sudden he stops, and then I turn and see why: you and two others have flanked him on all sides, and he curses how short he is because he can't just storm out, and one of you has punched him in the nose, one in the stomach, and one at the member who lives where the sun never shines. He screams out loud.

Pick on someone your own size, you runt, the other guy hisses, and if you come after him again I will ruin you. You know what I know and your parents would hate for that to slip, wouldn't they?

Everyone should be ashamed, the girl says, staring at everyone congregating in the hall, you let this stump treat one of your fellow students with disrespect and here you are standing, off to the side like it saved you somehow. You're not supposed to gossip about someone's misfortune, you are supposed to  _help_ them, let them  _rise up_.

Aaron doesn't deserve being singled out at all, you tell them, and I wonder how you know my name to let it fall from your mouth as it does so, not over something like  _this_. Let him be, worry about your own lives which are definitely not as pristine as you may fake it. I know what he's going through,  _I know_ , so tease me if you have to get your fixes in, but mind you if you're not running the other way when I have a few choice words for you. Get lost.

And the crowd runs away like the Gold Rush has swept in, and it's just the four of us left.

You didn't have to do that, I say, I'm used to that by now.

That's terrible, the girl sighs, you don't deserve all that. I'm Theodosia, by the way. Aaron, you can't let them walk all over you like this.

Your uncle and aunt shouldn't do that either, says the guy. By the way, I'm Charles, and if you want something on Nathan to keep him off you, I'm your guy.

He knows nearly all, Charles does, you say, holding to my shoulders like they may fall off, even if you don't tell he sees all. You don't ever want to be on his bad side, he might actually make you flee the country. And I'm Alexander, and yes, I know exactly how gross the words feel because I hear them as frequent as you, maybe worse because the one who does it to me is nearby, but I walk it off, I can't let him see how it affects me.

I would rather be forced to run away, I say, looking down, then my uncle and aunt can't find me and maybe I would see my sister again. They shipped her away, you know, and I never saw her again, it's been years and I don't know if she's alive or not.

Charles raises a hand. I'll find out, this sort of my thing is my specialty.

And we'll keep Knox and Greene and anyone else with a mouth on them away, Theo adds, standing beside me.

Why are you helping me? I appreciate what you're doing, but why me?

Because you have problems, just like us. You've been made a fool like we have. You don't deserve ridicule, you deserve support, and that's why we're here, to make sure that no one ever has to feel what we've felt here at this school. We may go home, and the cycle starts again, but when we're here we escape, at least for a little bit, and you deserve it too.

I smile. It feels real for once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought of "The Watsons Go To Birmingham" when I wrote the personal saver stuff.


	3. The Belt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Uncle and Auntie are already psycho enough without ingesting anything. 
> 
> Unfortunately, they do drugs. And drink alcohol.
> 
> At the same time. In that order.
> 
> And now that Sally's gone I know what my aunt's hands feel like."

I'm in my safespace.

Hiding out at the third floor classroom hall as I tell you this. Don't ask why Secretary Monroe trusts me with the master keys. Apparently he doesn't trust Principal Washington or Vice Principal Adams with them.

What's next, Mr. Montgomery gets trusted with the  _deed_ instead of them?

Says a lot about this school's incompetence, doesn't it?

Anyway, Uncle's drunk on that sorry excuse for a life again. And I don't know where you guys live yet because I'm too scared to ask, and so I stay in mysafespace until it's safe to go back.

Scratch that. Saf _er_.

Uncle and Auntie are already psycho enough without ingesting anything. Unfortunately, they do drugs. And drink alcohol.

At the same time. In that order.

And now that Sally's gone I know what my aunt's hands feel like. Even worse, they're just as experimental as my uncle's. Please someone explain to these ones that they should be  _preventing_ me from screaming, not  _causing_ it - and then fucking  _enjoying_ it like they're more turned on than television.

Or worse, hornier than our marching band. John says there's literally 30 horns in total in there. Excessive? Try telling Washington that.

At least when I come back and these idiots are either hungover or crashed out, I only have to deal with Uncle's belt. Yes, it's painful, but he doesn't use it for anything else besides hitting me. He doesn't even get aroused by that. Good.

Lord knows what other ideas he's got swimming up there in that head of his...

Can we take a belt buckle to his head, please?


	4. The Leash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Aaron, why are you talking to this boy? Don't talk to low-lives life that, then you'll start getting infected.
> 
> I've been with you two my whole life, so that's probably not true. Either he's not a low-life or you guys are; to be honest it's probably both."

Just when I thought I've seen it all.

All the kinds of humiliations that adults do to their poor victims.

Today forced me to add a leash to that list. And it's not even  _me_ that it was happening to.

Sam, why do you do this, let him humiliate you so? It's not fair. Mine are cruel and Alex's is sickeningly overbearing. But yours? Straight up humiliating.

Uncle has me by my shirt collar as he and Auntie make their way uptown because it's quiet with me in tow. Normally, he says, we would be making our way downtown - 

You're not going to start singing, are you? I ask, scrunching my nose. 

He squints at me. And says nothing more.

We've made it uptown and they wander off to get who-knows-what at no-one-knows-where for I-don't-care and they tell me not to run off. I think they must be stupid becauce it's been 6 years and I'm still here.

I saw you passing by right when I am about to slip away under the old cherry tree. You are walking with your head held down until I call out to you. Your head darts about, then you come over to me. 

Aaron? you ask. Pray tell, what are you doing here? 

I point across the way to where the demon spawn stay, before I finally say, they're out here doing god-only-knows over there, and then I see your neck. What are you wearing?!

You hold onto the degrading collar as the color drains from your face and you stand in solemn silence. Sam, oh Sam, how can he do this to you? We make it a point to  _never_ call him Sammy, ever, because  _he_ already calls him that. You are a human. We don't wear collars like that.

He says to think of it as a choker, you sigh, but I can't because I know what it is and he attached  _this_ to the end of it anyway, as you reveal a long leash attached behind you.

Sammy! Oh, there you are ~ calls the devil himself, grabbing the leash and tugging gently, come on, my pet, I have gotten a lot of new things and it will be fun! Your face practically closes in on that lemon of information. Then Uncle and Auntie come back and see us all and they look neutrally annoyed by default.

Aaron, why are you talking to this boy? Don't talk to low-lives life that, then you'll start getting infected.

I've been with you two my whole life, so that's probably not true. Either he's not a low-life or you guys are; to be honest it's probably both.

Your owner laughs so high pitched that I'm sure someone's window will break across the street. Auntie looks a bit flushed, and Uncle is red in the face, and he grabs me by my neck and hoists me up and away from you, as I wave and call out that I will see you later.

We'll see about that, Uncle says, and he's got his freaky thinking face on.

Uh oh.

 


	5. The Spoons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "If you're despondent and complacent today, Aaron, then I will only come after you with the spoons. And I'll be gentle.
> 
> I shudder. If he's going to be like that, I would rather he come after me with the whip instead. Because I don't eat with that thing."

I'm at the school. Again.

Don't worry, it's not just me this time, Alexander. Charles and Sam and Theodosia are also here. We would invite you too but you are working on an essay again and we know how passionate you are about writing.

Maybe about as much as I feel for you but for another time I suppose.

Uncle is off his rocker again. And none of you three saw it. This time, it was Hercules and Angelica who had to witness my motherfucking uncle and his assholeitude. And I'm sure he took it waaaay over this time just cause he never sees me hang out with them and wanted that to stop.

I'm just out and about and away from the house, limping away by default. You know how hard it gets to walk after, right? Anyway, off I go to the park and those two are there, chatting away until they see me waddling about.

Aaron, hello, calls Angelica from the swing-set that somehow has held us all. Come over, talk with us.

I'm a bit hesitant, but I like them enough, and don't wish for them to dislike me, so I come over. Hercules analyzes me with his eyes that always seem to have a knack for such things.

Are you okay? he asks, and I shiver, and if that doesn't speak enough volumes then my body betrays me for screaming off all the signs. 

It seems as if they have, their faces bleed concern. What did he do to you this time? Angelica asks, and it's times like these that reminds me that they do not fully grasp this situation like you and Sam do because they have not lived it, and I wish I have their problems sometimes.

Uncle got mad at his co-workers again, I say. But he never takes it out of them, no, cause apparently it's not ever their fault that he's mad, and so he downs some Sam Adams and comes back dangerous. But he was oddly psychotic today, stroking me as if I'm some consolation prize to be won. Then he leaned down and whispers right into my ear:

If you're despondent and complacent today, Aaron, then I will only come after you with the spoons. And I'll be gentle. 

I shudder. If he's going to be like that, I would rather he come after me with the whip instead. Because I don't eat with that thing. And I know where all those things go.

Auntie finds me this time, which is a shock. I'm not sure why it's her that does, and she won't tell me what's wrong with Uncle. Well, whatever else has ever been wrong with him anyway, and so she grabs me by my reddened ear and drags me back to the hellhole that I call home and all Hercules and Angelica can do is watch helplessly as I am dragged away.

I slip some pills into her dinner. She's out until tomorrow. I sneak away. I bring backup. I'm ready for the cycle to start again next week.

But it won't. Not ever again.


	6. The Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Why am I here? Auntie didn't force me to come; in fact she told me to stay the hell away.
> 
> She thinks I did this to him. Ha! I hated him but I was no murderer."

I'm almost through my bedroom window when I hear it.

Auntie's shriek sends me right back out the window again. Out in the bushes, the thorns that have pricked on many occasions, so much that I feel no pain from them any more, like those shots at the doctor's that I also have visited. And therapy.

Yeah... it's nice to have adults that actually look out for me.

I make it into my room just as Auntie bursts right through my door. She's yelling and shrieking at me, what have you done, you ungrateful bitch?!

What have  _I_ done?  _You're_ the only one who has done anything questionable in this lifetime of mine that I wish was not my own, I hiss at her. So why don't you tell me what you're on about while I've been locked up here wasting my life away until your urges come on?

She grabs my neck and starts wrapping her long nails around it, shaking me back and forth as if I were a ragdoll. Why not? I'm very light for my age - 62 pounds, mind you - and I practically don't eat. 

She drags me down the stairs, and points at something on the ground. I already know what it is.

My uncle lies there.

Dead.

He lies there  _dead_ , guys, and for some reason my feelings are mixed about it. Sure, I may have thought on occasion that he deserves to die, but I assumed he would be rotting away in prison before that. Now he's rotting away on the ground, bullet holes through his eyes, stab wounds on his sides, knives in his soles, and I don't even know how to react.

My aunt, on the other hand, knows exactly how to react...

She will deny that she walks in on this horror in the first place.

She will take her anger out of me... with the wall.

She will wish the same on me, maybe to bargain for her loss.

She spirals into depression, locks herself in her room.

She buries him herself. I watch her do it. Why am I here? Auntie didn't force me to come; in fact she told me to stay the hell away. She thinks I did this to him. Ha! I hated him but I was no murderer. Maybe closure, or my own twisted pleasure.

I find her, days later, pills surrounding her bedside table, blood oozing from her temple, the gun lying beside her lifeless hand.

I see it all, right there, my suffering may finally be over.

But I can't accept that at all.


	7. The Rebirth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do you think, Peggy says, that you can ever move past this? That you will allow yourself, for once, to believe that you can finally be happy?"

My house has never been quite this full.

Even when Auntie, Uncle, and Sally were all still living in it with me, most of my time was consistently spent alone. It felt empty all the time.

Nowadays, it's filled with camaraderie, something that I don't always know.

It's the Schuyler sisters who swing by first. They look as sad as I do; they lost their young sister Cathy to a severe illness. They bring flowers. We spend a good hour planting them in the backyard and just talking. I like them just fine.

Later on comes Charles, with Sam and Theodosia in tow. They offer their condolences, as expected, and then Charles hits me with a whammy.

Sorry it took so long, he says, but she wants you to have this.

It's a letter. From Sally. She's fine, she says, she wants to see me again, she wishes she had fought to stay.

I don't blame her. She didn't want to leave on her own.

Maria is the next on the list. She holds out a casserole she made herself. I thank her. She still wears the apron. I wonder why she doesn't take it off. She says he will hurt her if she does, that she always has to be reminded of her place. 

I tell her, your place is here, to be who you want, not whatever that asshole expects you to be.

She gives me a small smile. She takes it off then.

It's getting late. They're all still here.

We're curled up in my living room. Theo is on one side of me, Charles on the other. We're on the couch, trying to hide from the horror movie in front of us. Eliza's laughing from the armchair, and so is Sam who is sitting at her feet. Angelica, Maria and Peggy are in the kitchen raiding the fridge so they don't see.

The knocks startle us all.

You have finally arrived with John, Lafayette, and Hercules behind you. You apologize profusely for being late, and then Laf says something in French that I don't quite understand.

Whatever it was, it makes you blush. Herc says that they had to drag you off your laptop again. I shake my head in amusement. That sounds about right. 

Charles is on the floor beside Sam when we come back. He winks at me and I know what he's up to. Angelica, Peggy, and Maria come back with their hands full. They take their place on the sea of pillows that has formed over the course of the day. Laf sits in the armchair with Eliza, and John and Herc get on the ends of the pillowy sea with the other girls. 

Theo sits up a bit straighter. You take a seat beside me.

My phone vibrates. I look at it and Peggy has texted me:

_Do you think that you can ever move past this? That you will allow yourself, for once, to believe that you can finally be happy?_

I look up at her. She turns and looks back at me with a small smile and a slight nod. Mouthing that I deserve to be happy for once.

I look around and realize how much luckier that I am because you are all alive right now, here and with me. 

Your hand slides into mine, and I turn and look at you. She's right, you know, you say, you deserve the best, Aaron.

I smile.

This was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Aaron's story.
> 
> Thank you for reading.


End file.
